


Twisted

by afewmistakesago



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Cursed Storybrooke AU, F/M, cursed golden lace au, rumbelle at the end, with gideon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-03 21:51:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10976037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afewmistakesago/pseuds/afewmistakesago
Summary: What if instead of Gideon bringing Rumple and Belle together, he was the only reason Lacey and Gold pretended to tolerate each other?Cursed Storybrooke AU with Lacey, Mr. Gold, and a fourteen year old Gideon.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This does have allusions to verbal abuse but it's never heavily detailed.

Gideon Gold took a few things about his family as fact. One, his parents  _ did _ love him. Two, they were unhappy together. Three, their discontent was his fault. Lacey and Matthew Gold were clearly miserable together, and it wasn’t a secret between the two adults that they remained married only to prevent Gideon pain. They just didn’t seem to realize how thin the walls were when they argued.

He supposed they must have been happy at one point, when they first met, but they grew distant from each other as the years went on, and Gideon couldn’t recall many fond memories of his parents together in his fourteen years. He remembered asking his mother one night how they met and why they got married. Lacey would normally come up with a story if he asked her for one before turning off the bedroom light- even though she claimed she wasn’t smart (“like your father” she normally said, a bitter tinge to her voice), she loved to read to him. Tonight, he asked for a real life story.

“Oh, baby,” Lacey said, running her hand through his hair like she always did when she tucked him in at night. “That was a long time ago.”

She pursed her lips, thinking, as if trying to recall the memory. “Well… I was working at a bar, and your papa was a regular customer. He told me I was the most gorgeous girl he’d ever seen.”

“I guess one thing led to another, and then we found out about you!” she said with a smile, squeezing his hand. “Your father insisted I quit my job and we got married pretty soon after, and here we are.”

Gideon wanted to probe further, but her sad smile made him pause. “Here we are, indeed,” Matthew said, standing unexpectedly in the doorway. Gideon looked up quickly. He didn’t ever remember his father being there when his mother said goodnight to him. Sometimes he’d come in on his own and kiss his forehead when he came home from work late, but his parents didn’t seem to do anything together unless absolutely necessary. 

“Hi, Papa,” he said, sitting up slightly.

“Hey, Gid,” he said absently, directing his attention to Lacey. “Your absence was noted at the town meeting tonight.”

Lacey kissed Gideon on the forehead, before smiling a fake, sickly sweet smile as she stood to speak to her husband. “You know I hate the people who go to those meetings.”

“It would be nice to have the support of my wife at those meetings, Lacey,” Matthew said, keeping his tone cool. He couldn’t help but notice the contrast of his father in a stiff, pressed suit and his mother in an old sweatshirt and polka dot pajama pants. Lacey normally tried to be asleep by the time Matthew got home from the monthly town meetings. 

“I hardly think you need me on your arm to watch as you and the mayor monopolize the town and agree to charge too much for rent,” she returned, matching his tone. Gideon pulled the covers up around his ears, wondering if they even remembered his presence. 

Matthew sighed, glancing over at their son. “Let’s move to the kitchen to continue this conversation, dear. Goodnight, Gideon.”

“Night, Papa,” he said, removing the covers from his face. “Night, Mum.”

“Goodnight, Gideon,” Lacey said as she closed the door, following her husband. “We love you.”

“Love you guys, too,” he muttered, before turning on his radio and falling asleep to a muffled argument and whatever Storybrooke’s local DJ chose to play. 


	2. Chapter 2

It was Valentine’s Day, and Matthew and Lacey were going out. They liked to pretend things were okay in front of the general population of Storybrooke. Gideon sat in the living room, watching as his mother fixed her hair in the mirror. She glanced down at her manicured hands, adjusting the wedding ring she was never seen without. “Grandpa will be here soon, okay, Gid?” she called, turning around and smoothing the dress. 

“I don’t need a babysitter,” he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. It wasn’t that he didn’t like his grandpa Moe, it was just that Moe told him the same three stories over and over, and always fell asleep on the couch after dinner. 

“I know, baby,” Lacey said, turning to look at her son. “You’re so grown up. But Grandpa likes spending time with you.”

Gideon rolled his eyes, shifting his attention back to the comic book he was reading. Matthew entered the living room, and asked Lacey to pick a tie for him to wear to their dinner. She looked surprisingly shy as she chose a deep red, kissing his cheek as he returned to their bedroom to finish getting dressed. The doorbell rang, and Moe soon entered the living room.

“There’s my grandson,” Moe said awkwardly, patting Gideon on the head. Gideon smiled at him, accepting the uncomfortable half-hug his grandfather offered.

“Lacey,” Moe said, poorly attempting a whisper, getting the attention of his daughter, who was idly waiting for her husband. He motioned towards the bedroom Lacey and Matthew shared. “He’s treating you okay, right? No funny business?”

Lacey’s eyes narrowed, motioning at Gideon. “Father,” she said in a low voice. “We’re fine.”

There it was again, the notion they had to pretend to be okay for Gideon, like he was oblivious to their problems. They could go out for a nice Valentine’s Dinner and act cordial, but he wasn’t fooled. Moe held up his hands, backing off. “Just making sure, cupcake.”

“Maurice,” Matthew said, entering the room.

“Matthew,” Moe said. The two men stared at each other for a painful moment. Gideon cringed as Moe made some offhand joke about having Lacey home by 8pm. It was more likely they’d be home at 10pm, with Gideon half-asleep in his room as his grandfather dozed on the couch. 

“Bye, Gideon,” Lacey said, after some forced laughter between the adults, “Be good for grandpa.”

She kissed the top of his head before taking Matthew’s arm as they headed out the door. Sure enough, his grandpa prattled on again about the time when him and his late grandmother took a trip to Mexico. Gideon listened attentively enough, and then returned to his comic. After eating pizza for dinner, Moe was soon passed out on the couch, lightly snoring. Gideon curled up in bed, waiting for the door to slam with the return of his parents.

A few hours later, he heard the garage door opening. He snuck out, watching his mother stumble in, holding her shoes in her hands. “Dad!” Lacey said, gently shaking her father from the couch. “We’re back, you can go home. Thanks for watching Gideon.”

“Was he good?” Matthew asked, following close behind his wife.

Moe shrugged as he stood up, stretching off the sleep. “He was good. He’s a quiet kid... Does he have any friends?”

“Of course he has friends,” Lacey said quickly, and it became obvious she was slurring her words. She probably had too much to drink with dinner. Gideon still felt the sting of his grandfather’s question. He talked to a few kids at school, but he was naturally shy, and people were intimidated by his parents and judged him based on them. Gideon didn’t feel like he was missing out on anything by not having close friendships. 

Matthew scowled before easing up. “You good to drive home, Moe?”

His father-in-law nodded and was soon enough out the door. Lacey stood in the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of wine. “Who does he think he is,” she muttered as Matthew sat on a bar stool near her. “Asking us if  _ our  _ kid has any friends. How fucking dare he comment on the way we raise our child.”

Matthew shrugged, watching as she downed the drink. “Sweetheart, I doubt he meant any harm.”

“Gideon is a really good kid,” Lacey said, slamming her hand on the counter. “A great kid.”

“You don’t have to tell me that,” he said, watching her patiently. 

“We didn’t fuck him up, did we?” she asked, turning to look into his deep brown eyes. “Just because we’re… broken most of the time, doesn’t mean he is, right?”

Matthew took her hand, staring at her hard. “Our son is not broken.”

“I feel like he’s lonely,” she said, quietly. “People judge him because of us.”

“I know, baby,” he said. “But he’s got a good heart like you.”

Lacey leaned up to kiss him slowly, and for the first time in a long time she actually meant what she was doing. “I wish things weren’t so bad between us,” she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek as they pressed their foreheads together. “How come when we’re good, we’re  _ so  _ good, but it’s mostly just bad?”

“I know, baby,” he repeated softly. “You’re drunk. Let’s get you into bed with a big glass of water.”

“Okay,” she agreed, meekly taking his hand and following him.


	3. Chapter 3

Gideon could piece together bits and pieces of the early days of his parents’ relationship on his own. He found a photo album one day in his parents’ closet. The first photo must have been the oldest, his father with longer hair and his mom in a tight sparkly dress in some smoky restaurant. His father had his arms around his mother’s waist and was looking at her fondly while her face was scrunched up with laughter. The next photo was one of his mother in a white dress, which must have been from their wedding. The next one was his mother in an oversized sweater, her swollen belly the focus of the photo while his father smiled proudly as he stood next to her.

They must have been happy together before he was born, right? He knew enough about babies and where they came from to know they must have gotten along in the past. It had to somehow be his fault that what was once a happy relationship was now strained and breaking. Gideon flipped to the next photo, but was stopped by footsteps.

“Lacey? Gideon?” 

Gideon heard Matthew’s voice and scrambled to close the album, but was too late. “Oh, hey, Gideon,” his father said, “What are you looking at?”

“Photos,” Gideon said, offering the album up to his father. Matthew frowned as he turned the pages.

“I didn’t realize your mother still had these,” he said softly. “I hardly remember taking them…”

Gideon shrugged, standing up. “You’re home from work early,” he said. 

“Yeah,” Matthew said, setting the photo album on a shelf. “Any idea where your mother is?”

Gideon shrugged, looking at the ground. He didn’t really fear his father, but he knew others did and occasionally wondered if he should as well. His father would never physically hurt him, or his mother, but sometimes the words his parents flung at each other felt like punches. It wasn’t too unusual for his mother to be out with her friends or shopping when he got home from school.“Well, well, well,” Matthew said, walking with Gideon out of the bedroom and into the hallway. “I guess it’s just us men tonight. Want to go out for Granny’s? We can leave your mother a note and bring her back a burger.”

His parents loved him, and they both had different ways of showing it. His father would take him out to eat and let him order whatever he wanted, and help with his math homework, and take him to the pawn shop and explain interesting items he’d acquired. His mother would hold his hand when he had nightmares, and read him fantastical stories, and make his favorite foods when he was sick. Separately, they were excellent parents, but it seemed that a common interest did not always unite people.

Henry Mills seemed happy, and he only had a mom. Gideon wondered if he should just tell his parents to get a divorce so they’d stop being disappointed in each other. It probably wouldn’t be too difficult to arrange custody, and he could imagine his parents taxiing him back and forth between their houses. But his mother hadn’t had a job since she found out she was pregnant, so how could she afford a house? Would his father have to pay for that? Would Lacey resent that Matthew paid for her house more than she resented living with him now? Why couldn’t he seem to find the words to tell his parents he wished they’d just separate for good?

His parents were his favorite people, but they also caused him more stress than a fourteen year old should ever have to endure.


	4. Chapter 4

None of the Gold’s had ever expected to end up in the Storybrooke High School Principal’s office. When Matthew walked in, Lacey and Gideon were sitting in front of the principal’s desk. The Principal, Ms. Tiana Frog, sat at the desk and one of Gideon’s teachers, Ms. Blanchard, stood behind it. 

“Mr. Gold,” the timid Ms. Blanchard said quickly, avoiding eye contact with him. “Thank you for joining us. We can begin now.”

“Ms. Blanchard,” he returned, sitting on the free chair next to Gideon. Lacey was on the other side of their son, looking troubled. He glanced at Gideon, who was sporting the sure beginnings of a black eye.

“Son,” he gasped, gently reaching to touch his son’s face. “Who did this to you?”

“We’ll get to that,” Ms. Frog said, a tight smile on her face.

“Will that student face repercussions for his actions?” Matthew asked, voice serious.

“Your son was the one to instigate the fight, Mr. Gold,” Ms. Blanchard said.

Matthew and Lacey turned to look at their son, and then at each other. Their eyes raced with questions. “Is that true, Gid?” Lacey asked softly, watching as he gave a small nod.

“Gideon punched Jack Hayes, and the other student retaliated.”

“Hayes,” Matthew said quietly, rubbing his temples like he had a sudden headache. “Couldn’t pay his rent the last few months. I threatened to evict the family last night.”

Lacey’s eyes widened and her expression turned to something like glowering. “So, what happened?” she asked, looking between Gideon and his teachers. “Did he say something about getting evicted to Gideon?”

Gideon stared at the nameplate on Ms. Frog’s desk. Ms. Blanchard leaned down at the desk, trying to make eye contact with him. “You can tell them what you said to us, Gideon.”

There was another moment of silence before Gideon spoke, his voice a harsh whisper, “Jack said my papa is an asshole and my mum is a drunk. He said I’m going to be both of those things, too.” 

Tears were forming in his eyes as his parents tried to react. They had never seen Gideon this distraught. He grabbed Lacey’s hand with one hand and Matthew’s with another, overcome with emotion. “Neither of those things are true and I just couldn’t take it. I  _ couldn’t _ . I didn’t mean to hurt him but it just happened so quickly, and then he punched me back, and then Ms. Blanchard separated us and brought me here, and then they called you guys.”

Matthew was rubbing Gideon’s back, up and down, trying to soothe him as he cried, while Lacey dug for tissues in her purse. “I’m sorry,” Gideon said, over and over again through his tears. “I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for anything,” Matthew said quietly, shock clear on his face. 

Ms. Frog took a deep breath. “We have to suspend Gideon for two days for instigating a physical fight.”

“But the other boy -” Lacey began, and Ms. Frog shot her a warning look.

“The other boy will be suspended three days for verbally starting the fight and retaliating physically. That’s the school policy.”

“I’m going to take Gideon to calm down with our school counselor, Ms. Blanchard wants to speak to you two alone,” Ms. Frog continued. Gideon obeyed her directions, walking out, and Lacey and Matthew exchanged a worried look between the two of them.

Sitting down at the desk, Ms. Blanchard began to speak. “I never expected that from Gideon,” she said. “He’s always been quiet, but not in a way that worried me. He’s a good student, a very intelligent boy. He’s always kind and courteous to me, and to his classmates. He just seemed to… snap.”

“Wouldn’t you snap, too, if someone talked about people you love that way?” Matthew asked, and Ms. Blanchard nodded, mulling over how to respond.

“I just wanted to apologize on behalf of the school and tell you I wouldn’t worry too much about Gideon. He’s clearly horrified by his own actions. He’s normally such a thoughtful boy. It’s a difficult age to begin with, and when your parents are-”

She stopped herself, and wisely so. Lacey felt her body language grow defensive. “I hardly think our marriage is any of your concern, Ms. Blanchard.”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Gold,” she said quickly. “I overstepped. But I have a card for Dr. Archibald Hopper, if maybe you would be interested in counselling.”

“The town shrink?” Matthew scoffed, rising from his seat. “I think you far overstepped, Ms. Blanchard.”

Lacey stood up as well, and Ms. Blanchard walked them to the school counselor’s office to collect their son, who was no longer crying, but his face was still puffy and red. “Let’s get some ice on that and let you rest at home, baby,” Lacey said, driving Gideon home with Matthew following in his car behind them. The ride was mostly silently, with Lacey repeatedly shaking her head, as if having a conversation with herself.

Gideon spoke quietly. “Please don’t fight with papa when we get home. Please.”

She smiled sadly. “I can’t promise anything, Gideon.”

If they had a terrible fight over this, it really would be all his fault. He felt the cold silence as they entered the house, as Lacey examined their cluttered medicine cabinet and his face. His father handed him an ice pack, and he was sent to his room with that after his mother had given him two pain pills and a glass of water.

He heard the fight begin before he even closed the door. “Our innocent son got into a fight because  _ you _ threatened to evict someone,” Lacey began, the heat obvious in her voice, though he could tell she was trying to not to yell. It wasn’t their fault he had good hearing.

“Ahh, you forget you were also mentioned in that other boys’ verbal attack. It’s not all  _ my _ fault. People think you’re a drunk, Lacey.”

“They wouldn’t accuse me of anything if you weren’t an asshole to every single person in this town, Matthew. Even the ones you care about.”

“I love you two, Lacey, don’t you dare say I don’t. I don’t enjoy evicting people, of course, but for their son to attack ours just shows those people are idiots who don’t know how to raise their child to behave. I have to evict people who don’t pay rent, it’s my job.”

“Don’t give me those crocodile tears,” Lacey hissed. “You get some sick pleasure from seeing people suffer, from controlling this whole town.”

“At least I don’t numb my problems with alcohol every other night,” he shot back.

Gideon began to wish he had soundproof headphones. Lacey’s voice was rising. “I don’t know why the hell I stay with you, you know that? I should just take Gideon and go. I should’ve left years ago.”

“And with what skills will you get a job to pay for everything you need to raise our son? Last I recalled, it’s my name on the bank account you use.”

“You’re a bastard,” she said, and Gideon heard her angry footsteps towards the door. “I’m going out for a while.”

“To the bar?” his father called. “At 3pm? Surely a new low, even for you.”

“You’re  _ sick _ ,” Lacey said before slamming the door.

His mother returned sometime after dinner, and came into his room and examined the spreading purple around his eyes. “How much did you hear? Earlier?” she eventually asked quietly.

Gideon shrugged, looking out the window in his room instead of at her. “Enough.”

Lacey sighed, watching him carefully. “We love you, Gideon. We love you so much, and… and I’m sorry we’re causing you trouble. We’re going to try to be better, really.”

He turned away from her. “It’s my fault,” he mumbled. “If I didn’t exist, you never would’ve had to get married and you wouldn’t fight all the time.”

“Gideon,” she gasped, her hand on his shoulder. He rolled back towards her, her face riddled with empathy and sadness. “You are the very best thing that ever happened to both of us. I mean that with all of my heart. None of this is your fault.”

He felt tears welling in his eyes as he shook his head. “It’d be better if I wasn’t here,” he said again.

“Baby,” she said, suddenly sounding desperate for him to believe her. “I love you more than anything else in the whole world. I am endlessly proud of the man you’re becoming. My life is good because you are in it. Can you believe me when I say those things?”

“I guess,” he whispered. “I love you, mum.”

“I love you, too, Gideon,” she said, and he sat up to hug her tightly, feeling her begin to cry. Maybe now that he’d finally gotten out how he was feeling, things would begin to change with his parents.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a pretty typical day after school. Lacey was sitting on the couch, reading a trashy romance book with a muscular man on the cover. Gideon was next to her, watching a television program. They both were startled by the door opening. “It’s early for your papa to be home,” Lacey said, glancing at the clock. She shoved the book behind a pillow. 

“Hey, papa,” Gideon said, watching his father walk into the living room with a bewildered expression. 

“Is everything okay?” Lacey asked, moving a little closer to Gideon, as if she was ready to protect him if need be.

He looked at them wildly, a crazy smile on his face that Gideon had never seen before. “Emma,” he said simply. “ _ Emma _ ’s here.”

It was like being hit with cold water. Every real memory was flooding into his brain, like a fog was lifting from his brain.

_ The family had always known they would cast a Dark Curse to find Baelfire. But after Belle became pregnant, they agreed they wanted to spend time raising their son to maturity in the Dark Castle before seeing that the curse to the Land Without Magic was cast. They waited until Gideon was fourteen. Rumplestiltskin specifically made sure that their family would not be separated, and that he would have money to provide them with whatever they would need. Belle and Gideon were hugging when the roll of dark magic smoke hit them, assuring themselves Rumplestiltskin would find them in this new land, although he had been imprisoned. They would spend 28 years cursed, and awake when they heard the name of the Savior - Emma.  _

Gideon blinked. “Papa!” he exclaimed, jumping from the couch and running into his father’s waiting arms.

“Son,” he said, giving Gideon the longest hug he’d received in 28 years. 

Belle joined them. “Rumple,” she said, with watery eyes. “Oh, Rumple. We’re back.”

Gideon tried not to be embarrassed as they kissed, before the three of them all hugged again. A family reunited at last. “I am… so sorry for those terrible curse personalities we were given,” Rumple said, his voice truly apologetic. “I had no idea we’d be so hostile to each other, and cause each other so much pain.”

Belle sighed, her hand cupping Rumple’s cheek. “It’s okay. At least we were together. And we’re really together now. It’s going to be okay… and I must say, it is interesting to see you without the glittery skin.”

Rumple cocked an eyebrow. “In a good or bad way, sweetheart?”

Belle laughed. “In a good way.”

While he was glad his actual parents got along much better than their cursed selves, Gideon had to interrupt their flirting. “We can find my brother now.”

Rumple and Belle smiled at him with genuine, real smiles. He felt a strange wave of missing them, and then a shock of joy that they were right there in front of him. “Yes, son,” Rumple said. “We can find your brother now.”

“And be a real family again,” Belle said.

After enduring 28 years of slow, repetitive, terrible days, Storybrooke had been found by a savior. Belle, Rumplestiltskin, and Gideon could be a family at last, and begin their great search for their lost son and brother, Baelfire. It was the the happy beginning they needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this idea had been floating around in my head for a while. If you have any questions, or would like to see any other events, you can comment or message me on tumblr - my url is bellegold.


End file.
